Timing relay



Aug. 26, 1952 K sz 2,608,625

TIMING RELAY Filed May 5, 1950' mm r111 22 Fig.5 44

I Q 54 5| 55 56 WITNESSES: I i l INVENTORY a Fig], Kolmon Riesz.

y jw v QMMLMW ATTORN EY Patented Aug. 26, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TIMING RELAY Kolman Riesz, Gillette, N. J assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh,

Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 5, 1950, Serial No. 160,120

My invention relates to the mechanical structural design of a timing-relay element, such as is useful in the backup relaying part ofthe highspeed protective-relay system shown in Goldsboroughs Patents 1,934,662 and 1,934,665 of November'l, 1933. Such a relay comprises (usually) two adjustable stationary contact-members, which are adjustable to different points along a 180 arc, and a movable contact-arm which moves over this arc, so as to make contact with first one and then the other of the two stationary contact members, being driven by an electric motor through suitable reduction-gearing.

The principal object of my present invention is to provide a new assembly, including the arcuate guide or holder for the two adjustable stationary contact members, and a'novelspringlever design for performing the double function of holding the movable contact members in fixed relation with respect to the arcuate guide-member of the frame, and also as a fixed radial distance from the axis of the movable contact-arm of the relay.

adjustable stationary contacts.

witlitlie foregoin and other objects in view, my invention consists in the structures, cmbinations, assemblies, parts, and methods of design and operation, hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing,

wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of a simplified version of a preferred form of embodiment of a timing relay embodying my invention;

' Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of just the frame member;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the timing relay which is shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of one of the adjustable contact members; with the two contact strips shown in section;

Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of the adjustable contact member shown in Fig. 4; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are plan and elevational views, respectively, of one of the spring lever arms.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the illustrated timing relay is built upon a metal frame l having a vertical back-plate 8, a small horizontal top 3 Claims. (01. 200-37) 2 flange 9, and a larger horizontal bottom flange H) which is arcuate in peripheral contour, and which has a semi-circular arcuate slot i2 out therein, so as to leave an arcuate supporting-part I3 between the arcuate slot 12 and the arcuate peripheral edge of the lower horizontal flange l0. Secured to the top surface of the arcuate support-member I3 is a thin calibrated arcuate dial [4, which is illustrated as being calibrated up to cycles in ten-cycle steps.

A rotatable vertical main shaft i5 is disposed with its ends supported by bearings in the top and bottom plates 9 and ID of the frame, so that it stands at the center of both thearcuate slot l 2 and the arcuate guide 13 of the lower flange of the frame-member. Clamped at 'anaxially adjustable height on the main shaft i5 is a movable contact-arm [6 which terminates in apin l'l on which is loosely mounted a metallic contact-roller l8 having a bore l9 whichis considera'bly larger than the pin I? on which this contactrroller is supported. The main vertical shaft I5 is provided with a gear 2| which is driven by a. pinion 22 on a parallel auxiliary shaft 23, which is also provided with a gear 24 which is driven by a pinion 25 on a motor-shaft 25, which is indicated by a diagrammatic representation of an electric motor M. This moving-contact assembly, including the drive-means therefor, is

old.

According to my present invention, I provide one, andpreferably two, adjustable stationary contact assemblies 3! and 32 of novel form and mounting. As the two adjustable stationary contact members 31 and 3.2 are identical, except for right and left-hand parts, a description of one will suiiice for both.

The adjustable stationary contact assembly 3|, according to my invention, comprises essentially a mold 33 of insulating material, which is specially shaped so as to have an upper part 34 which extends up through the arcuate slot l2, and also extends above said arcuate slot, so that the top of the mold lies a short distance below the level of the contact-roller l8. Below the upper part 34 of the insulating mold 33, there is an enlarged flange 35 which extends radially outwardly and inwardly, on both sides of the arcuate slot l 2 of the stationary frame. As shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the top surface of this flange 35 is provided with three elevated protu berances 36, 3'! and 38 which provide a three-point support for engaging the under-surface of the horizontal arcuate flange ID of the stationary support, so as to prevent the possibility of any wobbling of the stationarywhen the contact-arm It moves over these silver contact-strips. The contact-strips are preferably inserted into the respective slots 4| and 42 from the top, and when they have been pusheddown into position, their bottom ends may be bent over, as shown in Fig, 3, to lock the stripsin place. For convenience in molding, instead of molding two narrow holes 4| and 42 'ior'these contac strips, the insulating mold 33 is conveniently-pro-- vided with one or more-large centrally disposed holes 48 which have enlarged ends which provide the slots 4| and .42 for holding the respective contact-strips 43 and 4 3 in place.

In accordance with my present invention, the

enlarged lower flange-portions 35 ofthe insulating molds 33 are pressedupwardly against the underside. of the arcuate horizontal flange N3 of the frame, by means of a pair of special springs 5| and 52, which are preferably substantially identical, except for right and left-hand construction. Thus, as shown in Fig. 6, theinner enact the spring 5| has a pivot-hole 52' which is piv- .otally mounted upon the lower bearing 53 for the main vertical shaft i5, underneath the lower flange Id of the frame. Asshown in Fig. 7, the

spring 5| then has a downwardly stepped portion 54, close to the pivot-hole 52, and a main horizontally extending portion 55, which terminates in an upwardly bent hook 55 which bends over to engage the top of the peripheral portion of .the-

arcuate dial l4.

As shown in Fig. 6, the main horizontal portion 55 of .the spring 5| is provided withaihole or notches 51 and 58 for engaging a suitable downwardly extending protuberance 59 -'(F-ig.-5) extending below the horizontal flange 35 of the insulating mold 33,-so as to lockinglyengage this mold and hold it in position radially with. respect to the center-line of the main shaft |5 .ofuthe relay. The thickness of the mold-flange 35, above .|5 of the relay, and it frictionally holds theadw justable contact .assembly in whatever position it is placed in, according to the desired timingadjustment of the relay.

As shown in Figs. land 4, the outer periphery of the upper portion 34 of the mold may be provided with a suitable mark 6| for cooperating with the time-scale which is marked on the arcu-i ate dial l4.

To enable my two adjustable stationary con- .tact members 3| and 32 to be assembled and disassembled, I provide a special construction of the lower horizontal arcuate flange it of the frame, and the arcuate dial l4. Thus, as shown in Fig. 1, I provide, in these parts, a peripheral notch 62 ahead of the zero position, and another peripheral notch 63 after the last position, in order to allow the release of the spring-tension and the easy removal of the stationary contact assemblies 3| and 32 for inspection. These notches 62 and 63 permit'the 'hooked'ends 5'6 oi the respective springs 5| .and 52to be moved downwardly through these notches, so that the central portion 55 of the spring can be disengagedfrom the downwardly extending protuberance 59 of the insulating mold 33, thus permitting the parts to be disassembled, and conversely permitting their'assembly again.

Fromthe foregoing description and explanation, taken in conjunction with the drawings, it

will 'beclear that I have provided an extremely strongand simple structure, which is self-aligning against horizontal warping or vertical tilting, whichis simultaneously frictionally held in adjusted position, at its adjusted point circumferentially around the arcuatedial l4, and-is also radially fixed at a fixedradius from the axis of the rotating arm Hi. The vertical height of the top contact-points45 of the.contact.-strips 43 and 44 is alwaysfixed at a constant valuewi'th respect to the bottom surface of .thearcuate horizontalflange iii of the frame, and this bottom flange-surface is ma'dewiththe necessary trueness to be exactly in a horizontal plane at right angles to the vertical main shaft 15, so that, once the vertical height of .the movablearm l5 has been properly adjusted, on the vertical shaft 15, so that the contact-roller |8 will make proper bridging-contact with the two contact-strips of either adjustable stationary contact assembly, then the properbridging contact will be assured, for alliarcuatepositions of both of the stationary contact assemblies. 7

While I haveshown and described a simplified version of my timing relay, in suflicientdetailv to explain its essential'novel parts, it will be understood that certain parts and refinements. have been omitted for Jthesake ofv simplicity, andsas having nothing to do with the innovations which I have introduced in the relay. I wish it-to be understood, therefore, that various changesmay belmade, in the way of-adding auxiliary parts and features, and the substitution of equivalents, without departing from the essential spirit of my invention; and I desire that the appended claims shall be accorded the broadestcons'truc tion consistent with their language.

I claim as my invention:

l. A timing-relay structure comprising a frame having a vertical back-plate, a small horizontal top flange, and a larger horizontal bottom flange whichis arcuate-in peripheral contour, and which has a semi-circular arcuate slot therein; a rotatable vertical main shaft; bearings for supporting the .ends of said main shaft in the top and bottom plates of the frame, so that said rnain shaftstands at the center of both them-cuate slot and the arcuat periphery of the lower flange of the frame; a movablecontact-arni secured at a predetermined'height on said main shaft; one or more adustable stationary contact assemblies comprising a mold of insulating material and one 'or more contact-strips extending vertically through the mold, said mold having an upper part which extends up through the arcuate slot sc-that the top of the mold lies a short distance below the "level of the contact-arm,sa'id mold having an enlarged flange whichenga'ges 5 the bottom surface of the bottom flange of the frame, on both sides of said arcuate slot, said mold further having a downwardly projecting protuberance; and a spring for each stationary contact-assembly, said spring being pivotally mounted on the lower bearing for the main shaft,

3. The invention as defined in claim 1, characterized by said enlarged flange of the mold having three elevated protuberances for providing a three-point support for engaging the underside of the bottom flange of the frame.

KOLMAN RIESZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 318,612 Gallet May 26, 1885 1,784,290 Jacobi Dec. 9, 1930 2,166,345 Douglas July 18, 1939 

